Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-11-17

Yes, il was Mike-huge, winsome Mike
and must greet him as best l might.
"Mr. Vivian" faltered, IL had no
idea i was you"
Two huge strides brought him to my
side.
Hannah he shouted; "Miss Grey
Why, was sent to a Miss Sinclair's! Have
/ come to the wrong houseW
The young people few to him open
mouthed about this wonderful thing, and
chartered, mercifully for me, till had re-
covered my balance a little.
From time TO time felt his eye upon
me, and grew trife hot and angry under
it. Why should he look at me not in that
way He had been married for years, and
I-@well had settled into my old maid
Tays-and had "got over it" as the say
ing goes.
As if we ever lost 'tho marks of that
which once had been"
AS they all trooped along together, he
turned back at the door, and grasping my
hand tightly said, "why did you say not
at home nine long years ago?"
81 didn'tp' exclaimed Indignantly, in
stifled voice, ''you never came"
Didn't II" he answered, and then he
was gone.
That night l slept not at all. Back
ward and forward that refrain rang in
my ears. "Didn't I?r Didn't I?n Oh,
Mike, oh faithful hearted Mike, have l
been wronging you all these years. Did
you come, did yGuY--and / never knew it
and now it is too late.
Does she love you, wonder, as l did
-as do, God help me, must live it
down and crush it under foot but for one
night will allow myself the Joy of know
ing that he did come--he did come; the
rest can not even guess at.
Happy, miserable and restless, and yet
soothed, came down the next morning
and found | could settle down to nothing
in the way of business. The piano stood
where it had been placed the day before
for the girls, and after many vain efforts
to attend properly to writing which ought
to have been done, / wandered up TO
it and sat me down listlessly, trying Go
pick up the thread of all that child's sym
pathetic fingers had done such full JUS
tice to; and as l played my heart grew
lighter, and by degrees my Memberships
moGulated off into lighter music, and
found myself beating time once more
which had been dearer TO me than all be-
side. How l played i'll l threw my
heart my whole heart into it; and as
came to the final chord l suddenly flung
my arms upon the desk in front of me
and burst into such a passion of weeping
as had never in all my life given way to.
How long l wept do not know; but l
know that then and there l prayed with
al my might for strength to root out, for
good and all, this cruel absorbing, dis
graceful love, and rising with one last
strangled sob ard firm determination
that not another should escape me now
or ever again, saw the door opening
quietly, and in one moment Mike had
hold of both py hands. In vain l tried
to pull them away. They were gently
but firmly gripped, and his dear voice
spoke rapidly i'll agitated loving tones.
"Don't speak, darling; know what you
think. Let me speak first for the sake
of the dear old times. Let me clear up
matters first. am not the blackguard
you think me--God forbid. Sit down,
and let me speak"
What could do but obey himY | sat
down, and as he spoke my heart leaped
and danced within me till / could have
shouted for JOY, and yet l felt ashamed
of my delight. For had he not gone
through deep waters, dear fellow The
poor, little, frivolous childish wife had
lived but one year, had wrought such
havoc in that short time that it were
more charitable " tell nothing of it to
any who did not know the miserable
! story already. Peace be with her poor
thing. / need think of her no more.
Then came the explanation of our own
misfortunes. He had gone straight from
my door the previous evening down TO
the dear old home to see my brother, and
arrive at that explanation. 1t was sim
pie enough.
My good sister-in Law on that eventful
morning nine years before, had been
| frightened about one of her infants, and
| had hidden the servants TO admit no one.
| "Not for the young ladies' mum? not
for Miss Hannah" the butler had asked
and she in her simplicity, poor soul, had
said and believed. "Miss Hannah will
not wish TO see anyone, either" and so
the answer had been given full in his
face when Mike had called.
"Miss Hannah Grey not at home
You are sure?" he had asked incred-
uously.
"Quite sure, sir; my horders were that
Miss Hannah, pertickler, didnS wish to
see no on who might call. Mr.. Grey, cir
Mr.. Grey is h'out."
The story has taken long to tell, but
hung upon every word of it, and as 1t
came to an end the honest, loving grey
eyes looked full in mine, and my hands
were once more imprisoned, "You know
my story now, my darling; if | thought
| that you could -that you would"
| "Bless you! She won't mind" broke in
upon US in hoarsely confidential tones,
and sprlnging up, we faced round toward
the window whence came the startling
sounds.
Mikes protecting arm was round me in
an instant, and Polly, swinging violently
head downward from the ring inside his
cage, shrieked aloud; Hannah Hannah!
You don't mud do ycu!"
And this time / didn't.
my family is very ancient" remarked
an English tourist in Ohio. SIT dates
back to the crusades." $50 does mine, y
replied the Buckeye. my mother was a
Erusader herself And what a noble stand